In the past I haven't believed the refs were compromised by anything, but instead that they were incompetent.

This thing has my head spinning, because it was going on under Stern's nose, and he was implementing zero tolerance which considering that at least 1 ref may have compromised, gave that guy even more tools to affect outcomes.

I think we would be naive to believe that Donaghy was the only NBA ref who ever bet on a game. The question is, are there other active or recently active refs who may have been involved collectively or independently? If a ref gambled 20 years ago and retired, I'm pretty sure they will let that sleeping dog lie, unless they can prove a conspiracy that involved a number of officials.

I'd be very interested to know how many techs and ejections Donaghy meted out last season.

Consider how many games would be under scrutiny as possibly being compromised. The devastation would probably warrant Stern's resignation.

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Trust me this story is far from over and more people are involved.

When you think about it perhaps Stern is guilty as well. His mandate that no one can question an official allowed this problem to occur. No other professional sport league allows their refs to make mistakes and they not be addressed by the league. When an NFL or MLB official makes a mistake an appologie is issued by the league and that official is suspended for a couple games if the mistake was critical to the outcome of a game. It doesn't go down like that in the NBA. The refs are always right because Stern said so.

In the past I haven't believed the refs were compromised by anything, but instead that they were incompetent.

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I have to tell you I am not surprised in the least by this. Saddened ,yes. Surprised, no. In truth, I have believed for a long time that the problem goes on in all sports. I am only surprised it took this long to discover.

The refs don't make that much money. Yet daily they are exposed to millionaires many of whom are spoiled and treat them like crap. I don't doubt many are bitter against the sports that employ them.

They probably are approached by several people throughout their careers who tempt them to secure their future by fixing a game here and there. It's just too easy.

Pandora's box has been cracked open. We may not like what we find in there.

I agree that Stern should step down. By many accounts, he has done an excellent job of promoting the game. He has made a lot of people rich, including the players. But, in that time, he has amassed a lot of power. Too much power. He can change the game without anyone's permission, which I think you're alluding to. This recent gambling thing is really, in a weird way, just what was needed if you hate Stern: It knocks him down a few notches from his perch. Time for him to leave. I don't think he will, though, as he will subscribe to a strategy of damage control in classic Clintonian fashion. If you resign amid a scandal, that's what people will remember you for (see Richard Nixon), but if you apply damage control, you might just be able to mantain your legacy. Stern's a slick talker; he'll do fine.

I hate that this official has harmed the integrity of the game. But how much integrity did the game really have to begin with? Superstar calls, tech calls if you look the wrong way at a ref, speeding up the game to make it more fan friendly, etc. The game has gone downhill fast in recent years and this is more fuel added to the fire.

I hate that this official has harmed the integrity of the game. But how much integrity did the game really have to begin with? Superstar calls, tech calls if you look the wrong way at a ref, speeding up the game to make it more fan friendly, etc. The game has gone downhill fast in recent years and this is more fuel added to the fire.

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Thats pretty much it. Plus old beefs and grudges the refs have with players effects the calls. Every game is called differently - refs dictate what they will and will not call seemingly at random.

A lot of reporters refer to conspiracy theorists in their articles as if anyone who questioned the refs before was paranoid and unstable. Anyone with half a brain can see that the calls vary with the circumstances and who it is being called against.

This could work out to be one of the best things that could have happened if it results in better and more fair calls for everyone.

Thats pretty much it. Plus old beefs and grudges the refs have with players effects the calls. Every game is called differently - refs dictate what they will and will not call seemingly at random.

A lot of reporters refer to conspiracy theorists in their articles as if anyone who questioned the refs before was paranoid and unstable. Anyone with half a brain can see that the calls vary with the circumstances and who it is being called against.

This could work out to be one of the best things that could have happened if it results in better and more fair calls for everyone.

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I, for one, hope this revelation will be the catalyst to finally institute a replay system similar to the NFL.

IMO Donaghy is just the tip of the iceberg as far as corrupt officiating. His alleged personal gambling issues and mob ties are probably why he is currently the only one under direct accusation right now. To think that he is the only NBA official guilty of fraudulent acts is foolish under the free-reign Stern has given them. The 'one bad apple' claim that Stern is already pushing makes it sound like he won't even entertain the very possible notion that there are others out there...it wreaks of cover-up to me even more so than just plain damage control.

Interesting...check out the player & Flip comments after the Mar 06 Knicks game Donaghy officiated:

Chauncey Billups, who scored 24 points, said afterward that he wishes the league held the officials publically accountable for their calls. “My thing is, after the game, I have to talk about what happened down the stretch, why we did this or that,” Billups said. “I wish the refs had to do that.”​

“My thing is, if you’re going to let them play, let them play,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders said after the game. “There was a little bit of inconsistency, so it was hard to adapt to that.”​

The officials called 36 fouls in the second half, including seven technicals. And while the Pistons were careful to take some of the blame in a game they led at one point by 16, they wouldn’t shoulder all of it.​

“I think (the officials were) more of a factor tonight than any game we’ve played this year,” said Tayshaun Prince, who scored 15 points. “Even though some other games were the same, I thought it was more important in this than any other one.”​

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Also...Sheed was ejected that game while on the bench for trash-talking Steve Franchise

I, for one, hope this revelation will be the catalyst to finally institute a replay system similar to the NFL.

IMO Donaghy is just the tip of the iceberg as far as corrupt officiating. His alleged personal gambling issues and mob ties are probably why he is currently the only one under direct accusation right now. To think that he is the only NBA official guilty of fraudulent acts is foolish under the free-reign Stern has given them. The 'one bad apple' claim that Stern is already pushing makes it sound like he won't even entertain the very possible notion that there are others out there...it wreaks of cover-up to me even more so than just plain damage control.

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Anything that forces them to clean up the calls is good news to me.

Donaghy may have been the only one on the take but all fans at some point have had to watch their teams lose due to Superstar calls and other officiating bias. Thats why so many are grabbing onto this. Finally something concrete to throw back at Stern.

When the home team was favored by 0-4½ points, it went 5-12 in games officiated by Donaghy this season, according to Covers.com, a Web site that tracks referee trends. Home underdogs were 1-7 when the spread was 5-9.5 points.

Donaghy was part of a crew working the Heat-Knicks game in New York in February when the Knicks shot 39 free throws to the Heat's eight, technical fouls were called on Heat coach Pat Riley and assistant Ron Rothstein, and the Knicks won by six. New York was favored by 4½.

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Sheed might have a big grin on his face today:

Donaghy had a run-in with then-Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace at the Rose Garden four years ago.

Wallace was suspended seven games for threatening Donaghy on the loading dock outside the arena in January 2003. Wallace was apparently upset that Donaghy had called a technical foul on him during a game against Memphis that night.

It was the longest NBA suspension ever levied for something that didn't involve drugs or physical contact. Wallace forfeited an estimated $1.6 million in salary.

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I didn't know the money part of that suspension...the number doesn't sound anywhere close to being right.

It's pretty interesting that if you look up Donaghy at covers.com (I think that is the site), he has one of the lowest home team win margin.

I didn't have time to check all of the refs, and am no expert at sports gambling, but I do know that road teams are usually dogs...

and many of the other refs had home teams winning by more than 2.5 points with plenty over 3. Donaghy was under 2.

You gotta remember that dissecting this means breaking down tape, because refs are a 3 man crew, and as I heard on the radio today (and am inclined to believe) there is no such thing as only one cockroach.

From detteams url reference they cited an expert from Marc Cubans Blog which I agree with. Cuban is right. This is a good opportunity to make the game much better. Stern can no longer laugh off the coaches/players and fans complaints about the quality of refering in the NBA.

But in a blog entry titled “Calamity as Catalyst - My Vote of Confidence in the NBA”, Cuban wrote: “The NBA took a hit today. Behind that hit is a catalyst and opportunity for significant change that could make the NBA stronger than it ever has been. It’s a chance to proactively put in place people, processes and transparency that will forever silence those who will question the NBA’s integrity.”

You gotta remember that dissecting this means breaking down tape, because refs are a 3 man crew, and as I heard on the radio today (and am inclined to believe) there is no such thing as only one cockroach.

Cuban has been calling for transparency for years, and this last offseason, the old guard ownership backed David Stern to silence him.

You gotta respect Mark for taking the high road when he could tear up the league. But then, he didn't make $3 billion by destroying his own assets.

Cuban for commish.

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Very True. Same for us fans as well. I don't want to see TV contracts cancelled, half full arenas or even the season suspended. But things need to change. This perception of fixing games has been around for at least 20 years and they need to finally start paying attention to it.

This could be a very positive thing. Imagine no more Superstar calls, players getting techs over nothing and such.

Donaghy, a baby-faced 40, is one of four NBA referees to have graduated from Cardinal O'Hara high school in Philadelphia. The others are Joey Crawford, Mike Callahan and Ed Malloy.

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There's only about 60 referees in the NBA...what are the odds that four guys from the same high school end up officiating during the same seasons? I think the odds of hitting a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot are probably far better.

There's only about 60 referees in the NBA...what are the odds that four guys from the same high school end up officiating during the same seasons? I think the odds of hitting a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot are probably far better.